Book Review-Tempt-Me-Wolfe-1

Tempt Me

(The Wolf Hotel #1)

by 

Nina West

 

Nina West’s Tempt Me commences in a small town in Pennsylvania where 21 year old, Abbigail (Abbi) Mitchell has been dating or friendly with the Minister’s son, Jed, forever and both sets of parents are expecting to hear the sounds of wedding bells sometime in the future.

It would be fair to say that Abbi and Jed think along those lines also as they have decided to save themselves for their wedding night.  Although, discovering Jed in bed with another girl does change that for Abbi.

Both sets of parents justify Jed’s actions as sowing his wild oats.  Even Abbi’s overbearing and pious mother tells Abbi she should stick around until Jed finishes sowing his wild oats.

Abbi, however, has other ideas and applies for a summer job with the outdoor crew at Wolf Hotels’ new hotel in Alaska.   Abbi sets of for the Alaskan wilderness not knowing what to expect and finds herself working and living with an extremely active group of people her own age, and working for Henry Wolf the Wolf Hotels C.E.O., as his personal assistant with no experience whatsoever.

 

Circulating rumours about Henry’s sexual appetite are soon proven to be true.   However, is everything different this time?  As Abbi hopes it will.  The amount of time spent describing (in detail) Henry and Abbi’s romps, is a bit over the top, in my opinion.  However, I guess the publishers wanted some padding without which Tempt Me would be a simple romance of the short-story variety.  Or….am I getting older and showing my age?

I have rated Tempt Me as a three-star read.

 

*****

Other Goodreads readers

have rated

Tempt Me

an average of 4.07 stars

from 6,675 ratings

and 576 reviews.

*****

I think

Tempt Me

is a

read.

Tempt Me

can be purchased online at

 

Booktopia, and Amazon

*****

 

Book Review-The-Stockmen

 

The Stockmen

by

Rachael Treasure

Whilst I have always enjoyed Rachael Treasure novels, The Stockmen, I think, will rate among my favourites, if for no other reason than it is set in Western Victoria, where I spent 55 years of my life.  I also had a Black and Tan Kelpie dog (Brandy) which as a six-week-old pup ran out from its litter to greet me.  For the next thirteen years, he was my one and only work colleague and mate.  His first and only litter of pups was born a few weeks before his death.  The pup I kept  (Ginger) lasted fourteen years making a total of 27 years with father and daughter.

But, enough of my reminiscing and on with my review.

Rosie Jones was kept away from learning how to be a farmer by her parents, especially her mother who is intent on climbing her own social ladder at the expense of her daughter’s wishes.

Rosie’s fiancé, Sam, meets an untimely death after which Rosie’s boss assigns her to research a story about an Irish stockman of the nineteenth century and his kelpie dogs, for a series of articles to be published in the Casterton paper prior to the inaugural kelpie auction.

Her only distraction is a real Irish stockman (Jim) her father employs to help on their farm.   Jim is good with animals and teaches Rosie how to train a litter of pups.

Another enjoyable audiobook from Rachael Treasure made so much better because it was set in my backyard, so to speak.

I have rated

The Stockmen

a solid

read.

 ***

At the time of writing my review other

Goodreads readers have rated

The Stockmen

an average of 

4.13 stars

from 827 ratings and 47 reviews 

***

The Stockmen

can be purchased online at 

Booktopia, Fishpond and Amazon

Book-Review-Riverstone-Ridge

~~~~~

Riverstone Ridge

by

Mandy Magro

Mandy Magro’s, Riverstone Ridge was my sixth read of this author’s works and as with Ms Magro’s works, it is set in Far North Queensland.

As 17-year-olds are prone to do Nina slipped out her window to go to a party while she was grounded.  A car pulls over and she is offered a ride.  When she declines, however, the sleazy driver becomes insistent and she is only saved when her high school crush also pulls up to see if all is okay.  A month or so later she leaves Huntingvale, for city life, without so much as a goodbye to school friends.  Only her adoptive mother Bea knows why.

Around two decades later Nina receives word that Bea has passed away.  Upon her return to Riverstone Ridge and Huntingvale, Nina again meets up with her high school crush and now the local law enforcer Logan.  Bea has tasked Nina with the sale of Riverstone Ridge if Nina does not want to keep it

The only questions to be answered are, will widower and local policeman Logan admit they have feelings for each other?  And what information has Bea left in her five weekly letters, from the grave, being delivered by the family lawyer?  And, finally, will Nina sell Riverstone Ridge, or will she find something that will keep her in Huntingvale?

I rated

Riverstone Ridge

 as an enjoyable

three-star audiobook

*** 

At the time of writing my review

 other Goodreads readers had awarded

Riverstone Ridge

an average of 4.20 stars

 from 174 ratings

 and 32 reviews

Riverstone Ridge

can be purchased online at

Booktopia, Fishpond and Amazon

Book-Review-Five-Ways-To-Fall

Five Ways To Fall

(Ten Tiny Breaths #5)

by

K. A. Tucker

***

Five Ways To Fall is K. A. Tucker’s fifth novel in the Ten Tiny Breaths series.  Again Ms Tucker has focussed on one of the original characters.

However, unlike previous offerings in the Ten Tiny Breaths series, Five Ways To Fall has but a tenuous connection to the prior books.  Five Ways To Fall reduces original characters to cameo mentions and appearances at parties and social occasions.  The only exception to this is Ben the good looking (and womanising) bouncer at Penny’s as he begins his career as a lawyer.

Reese, and Ben, meet in Cancun on Ben’s last night.  A night that could only be described as an unmitigated disaster that Reese wanted to forget and Ben wanted to remember.

Several months later they bump into each other…at work.   Reese now works as a paralegal, a brilliant one at that, at her stepfather’s law firm, where Ben has also secured a position at the firm.

Five Ways To Fall is a nice romance with an inevitable happy ending which most K. A. Tucker fans will enjoy.

I found

Five Ways To Fall

an enjoyable read and rated

Five Ways To Fall

as a solid

four star read.

***

At the time of writing my review,

other Goodreads readers have rated

Five Ways To Fall

an average of 4.30 stars

from 14,581 ratings

and 1,223 reviews.

***

Five Ways To Fall

can be purchased online at

Booktopia, Fishpond and Amazon 

***

Book-Review-Four-Seconds-to-Lose

Four Seconds to Lose

(Ten Tiny Breaths #3)

by

K. A. Tucker

***

Four Seconds To Lose is K. A. Tucker’s third novel in the Ten Tiny Breaths series.  Again Ms Tucker has focussed on one of the original characters.  This time it is strip club owner, Cain with guest appearances by all of the original Ten Tiny Breaths cast of characters  

 

Cain has a strict no fraternizing with the dancers policy which works well until Charlie Rourke casts her shadow over his doorway, seeking a job.   Being around Charlie sees all types of emotions stirred in Cain; basic, animal emotions which have lain dormant for many years.  In fact, Charlie is the only dancer which Cain comes out of his office to watch, each and every night.  

But Charlie is involved in shady dealings.  Her step-dad is using her as a drug mule and drugs are one thing which Cain wants nothing to do with.  As romance begins to blossom, Cain decides to air his dirty laundry for Charlie’s benefit.   He feels his hitherto unknown past may be holding Charlie back…what he doesn’t know is that it is her past, present and future which is stopping Charlie from committing to Cain.

Another easy read from K. A. Tucker which I enjoyed immensely.

 At the time of writing my review,

other Goodreads readers have rated

Four Seconds to Lose

an average of 4.20 stars

from 18,380 ratings

and 1,445 reviews.

***

I rated

Four Seconds to Lose

as an enjoyable

four star read.

***

Four Seconds to Lose

can be purchased online at

Booktopia, Fishpond and Amazon 

***

Book-Review-Where-She-Went

Where She Went 

(If I Stay, #2)

Gayle Forman

Where She Went, sequel to If I Stay, was my second Gayle Forman read.  Again the title was a tad confusing as it refers to ‘she’ however the first chapter, at least, is all about ‘he’.  A minor detail, I know.

It’s three years since the accident which nearly claimed Mia’s life.   Three years since Mia left Adam’s rock and roll world to pursue her studies on the East Coast.  Three years since Adam and Mia had seen or spoken to each other.

Adam’s star has taken off to the extent that he wishes it had not and was contemplating leaving his band.  While overnighting in New York fate ensures that Adam meets up with Mia again.

After a tentative beginning Adam and Mia soon find themselves relating old times like they had never been apart.  Mia takes Adam on a tour of her city which she now calls home and slowly they revisit past opening the hearts to each other about their past, present and future; alone or together?  That is the question.

After the first chapters I enjoyed

Where She Went

but only to the extent of three stars.

*****

At the time of writing my review

other Goodreads readers had awarded

Where She Went

an average of 4.01 stars,

from 270,707 ratings

and 20,385 reviews.

*****

Where She Went

can be purchased on-line at

Booktopia, Fishpond and Amazon

Book-Review-One-Tiny-Lie

One Tiny Lie

(Ten Tiny Breaths #2)

by

K. A. Tucker

***

 

K. A. Tucker’s One Tiny Lie follows the fortunes of Livie, the sensible Cleary sister, during her first year at College. Livie is the planner of the two girls; college, exams, medical school and a good looking respectable husband.

All does not go according to plan and she soon begins to question her choices over the past few years.  Are her choices for herself or is she complying with her deceased father’s wishes?  With her love life a mess and her party life flourishing, straight A Livie begins her mid-terms with a C- for her favourite subject.

Has Livie turned into Miss Mediocrity?  Will she ever sort out her love life?  Will she cease her hard partying?  And how will her sister, Kacey react when Livie tells her what has transpired during the first few weeks of her freshman year of college?  Will Livie’s grades keep her at Princeton?

Surprisingly all of these question are answered if not directly, certainly indirectly.  As with all good authors there is a twist which helps Livie unravel many of the problems she faces.

I found

One Tiny Lie

an enjoyable read and rated

One Tiny Lie

as a solid

four star read.

And it appears many of K. A. Tucker fans

are like minded

with 82% of readers rating it 4 or 5 stars.

At the time of writing my review,

other Goodreads readers have rated

One Tiny Lie

an average of 4.27 stars

from 35,104 ratings

and 2,422 reviews.

***

One Tiny Lie

can be purchased online at

 Booktopia, Fishpond and Amazon 

***

Book-Review-If-I-Stay

If I Stay 

(If I Stay, #1)

Gayle Forman

If I stay was my first Gayle Forman read, however, it won’t be my last.  Initially I found the title confusing and nothing in the blurb gave away he plot either.

Mia is a cellist; and a good one at that.  And at the tender age of 17 she is finding out that life is full of choices.  Practise or hang out with friends.  Practise or go to a concert.  Practise or listen to her boyfriend’s band play.

An unusual fall of snow closes all schools.  Mia’s family decide to go for a drive as the snow has barely covered the ground.  Only a few minutes into their drive something happens which leaves Mia with only one choice to make.  To go; or to stay.  Where?

If I Stay was a good quick read which I enjoyed, however, I’m sure there is some among us who will not enjoy the story.   I did enjoy If I Stay and although I felt the story was simply being padded at times I thought it still worthy of three stars.

The ending is abrupt, although appropriate

I rated

If I Stay

as a threestar read.

At the time of writing my review

other Goodreads readers had awarded

If I Stay

an average of 3.94 stars,

from 745,981 ratings,

and 38,989 reviews.

*****

If I Stay

can be purchased on-line at

Booktopia, Fishpond and Amazon

Book-Review-The-Stockman’s-Secret

~~~~~

The Stockman’s Secret

by

Mandy Magro

 

Mandy Magro’s The Stockman’s Secret was my fifth of her books and as usual, it is set in Queensland.

 

Juliette is the step-daughter of Little Heart’s minister. Unknown to step-Dad, Juliette and Joel have been seeing each other for some time and have become a couple because both had been the target of school bullies.

Juliette and Joel are attacked one night by these bullies and Joel cannot understand why Juliette wants to keep the attack a secret.

However, when one of the bullies confronts Joel and tells Joel what he will do to Juliette next time, it is more than Joel can bear.

In a bar room brawl, Joel punches Bully.  Juliette breaks up with Joel.  Joel packs his bags and takes a jackaroo’s job a Rosalee station.

 When Joel eventually decides it’s time to return to Little Heart, he finds things have changed quite a lot.  Bully 1, is a respected doctor and Juliette’s husband is trying to make his mark on local politics.  The main questions which need to be answered are:  Will bully 1 get his comeuppance?   Does Juliette still have feelings for Joel or is she happily married?   Will Joel’s family accept his return?

I enjoyed The Stockman’s Secret.

I rated

The Stockman’s Secret

 as a

three star read/audiobook

At the time of writing my review

other Goodreads readers had awarded

The Stockman’s Secret

an average of 4.08 stars

 from 159 ratings

 and 32 reviews

The Stockman’s Secret

can be purchased online at

Booktopia, Fishpond and Amazon

Book-Review-In-Her-Wake

In Her Wake

(Ten Tiny Breaths #1.5, Novella)

by

K. A. Tucker

***

K. A. Tucker’s In Her Wake is not quite a sequel to Ten Tiny Breaths; it’s more like an addition to Ten Tiny Breaths. In Her Wake tells Trent’s side of the story right up until he and Kacey meet for the first time.

I finished reading Ten Tiny Breaths and immediately commenced In Her Wake where we hear of Trent’s back story where many How’s and Why’s are answered.  In essence we hear the other side of Ten Tiny Breaths.  Trent’s side, as opposed to Kacey’s pain and suffering.

In Her Wake joins the Forever Wild novella (also by K. A. Tucker) on my best novellas shelf.

Many other novellas have tried to be complete stories, end abruptly and left me wanting more.  In Her Wake wrapped up loose ends on Trent’s side of the ledger in Ten Tiny Breaths.

The ending to In Her Wake was spot on.  Another word or sentence would have been too much.

For the above reasons I am, again, breaking my three stars only for novellas rule and have awarded In Her Wake four stars as an addendum to Ten Tiny Breaths.

 At the time of writing my review,

other Goodreads readers have rated

In Her Wake

an average of 4.1 stars

from 6,102 ratings

and 621 reviews.

***

I rated

In Her Wake

as an enjoyable

four star read.

***

In Her Wake

can be purchased online at

Booktopia, Fishpond and Amazon 

***